Distance annunciator



June 14, 1938. D s, OIG `2,120,550

DI STANGE ANNUNCIATOR June 14, 1938. D. s. DoiG DISTANCE ANNUNCIATOR Filed March 9, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENFOR. m JM g ATTORNEY.

Patented June 14, 1938 UNITED STATES DISTANCE ANNUNCIATOR Don Stuart Doig, Glendale, Calif., assignor to Automobile Club of Southern California, a corporation of California Application March 9,

6 Claims.

This invention comprehends the provision of an annunciator embodying a suitable frame adapted to support a map of a desired territory on which principal places or cities are indicated by electric lights normally deenergized except for a place or city of origin, a series of switch controlled electric circuits in connection therewith, and a set of annunciator panels representing digits in mathematical order on which are arranged a multiplicity of electric lights capable of being selectively energized so as to display on said panels numerals representing the actual mileage between the place of origin and other places on said map.

Thus, it is an object to provide an annunciator which will, upon the closing of designated circuits by operating selected switches, immediately display in numerals the mileage between the place of origin and any one of the other places on the map which is designated by a light, when the corresponding switch is operated.

Other and more detailed objects of invention will appear as the description progresses.

I have shown in the accompanying drawings a preferred form of annunciator embodying my improvements, subject, however, to modification, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of my invention. In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the assembled device showing thereon a map of the United States;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional elevation of the annunciator panels on line 2-2 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 3 is a schedule of the circuits necessary for changing the digital numerals to correspond to variations in distance.

Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of the annunciator panels;

Fig. 5 is a section oi the same on line 5 5 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a circuit diagram showing typical connections between the several elements of the device.

Fig. '7 is a sectional View of a detail of the invention, Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional View of another detail of the invention.

In its preferred form the device includes a frame F on the face of which is mounted a map M, an annunciator P mounted on the top of frame F and including panels or sections A, B and C, and one or more switch panels S mounted at a convenient position on said frame. Map M is afiixed by suitable means to a ilat wall 25 in a. plane intermediate the iront and rear edges of the rectangular frame F. Sections A, B and 1936, Serial No. 67,931

C of the annunciator are of suitable form and have transparent or translucent front closures 26, recessed light panels 21 and rearwardly held re-` lay panels 28 suitably supported therein, while the entire rear side of the frame may be closed by means of a wall 29, as shown in Fig. 5.

The number of panel sections required in a particular case is influenced by the extent of the map and the maximum distances indicated thereon. As shown in Fig. l when but three panels are used the maximum distance capable of being shown on the device is 999 miles from a given point, as at 30 which representsI Los Angeles, the place of origin in this particular case. Other principal places on the map are indicated, as at 3l and 3l and the mileage between the place of origin and said other places is printed on the map as well as the distances between said other places if desirable. As many buttons 32 are provided on switch panel S as there are principal places indicated on the map and designated by electric lamps 33. Hence, said switch panel may be as large or of such size and form as may be found necessary or desirable. It will be noted that each panel is intended for a separate digit of a number, panel A for the hundreds, panel B for the tens, and panel C for the units.

As shown in Fig. 1, the switch panel S shown at the left hand side of the frame would regulate the annunciator of the distances between Los Angeles and other points less than 1000 miles distant therefrom, while a second panel S may be used on the other side ci the map, as shown in broken lines, for the annunciation of distances in excess of 1000 miles from the place of origin or from other places. Or, if the number of sections in the annunciator is increased to four one switch panel may suiiice for the entire extent of the map shown.

It will be observed by reference to Fig. 2 that each of the panels A, B and C serves to house, and the panels 2l to support, a plurality of electric lights 34 which are peculiarly arranged so as to form all of the numerals from l to 0 by selectively energizing said lamps.

' As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, it requires twentytwo separate circuits, which are numbered consecutively from one to twenty-two, to form all of the numerals in each of the digital panels. Each digital panel except panel A has a series of ten relay actuated multiple point contacts designated at 35, 36, 3l, 38, 39, 40, 4|, 42, 43 and 44 corresponding to the numerals one to naught, respectively, and adapted to selectively engage fixed contacts 45, 45, etc. secured to the relay panel 28.

Panel A has similar movable contacts 35 to 43 inclusive, and Xed contacts 45, 45, etc. the naught contact 44 being omitted for the reason that said panel being the hundreds digital panel the naught would be superuous.

Each of said movable contacts has a plurality of fingers, variable in number, overlying the iixed contacts, and is oscillatably mounted on a stem 55 which is rotatable about a vertical axis between parallel members 56 and 51 or in members l and 58, as the case may be, as shown in Fig. 4, so that the movable contacts may be moved into engagement with the fixed contacts under the iniiuences of a relay 59 on an armature 66 xed to the stem 55 of each movable set of contacts.

Each lamp marked position on the map, except the point of origin is provided with a push button switch 32, a relay 6I and an armature 62 xed to a movable contact plate 63 carrying a plurality of xed contacts 64, 65, 66 and 6l, as shown in Fig. 6, or more of said contacts as may be necessary when the panels P are increased in number. Thus, any of the twenty-two circuits as shown in Fig. 2 may be closed by depressing the buttons 32 thereby energizing the corresponding relay 6l, drawing the armature 62 toward the relay and causing the individual contacts of contact plate 63 to engage the xed contacts 3a, lb, 5c and L thereby energizing the relays 59, 59 etc. associated` with the contact plates 31, 4| and 39 respectively. The circuit of relays 6l is as follows: from ground to battery 68, wire 69, button 32, wire 1l! to and through the coil of relay 6I back to ground.

As shown in Fig. 6, if it is desired to ascertain vthe distance from Los Angeles, the point of origin to Boulder Dam, for instance, the button 32 designated Boulder Dam is depressed, thereby closing the circuit of relay 6| corresponding to said button and completing the circuit of relay 59 at position 3 on the A panel, and relay 59 at position 7 on the B panel, and the relay 59 at 5 position on C panel, the connections between the elements of the twenty-two circuits shown in Figs. 2 and 3 being such as to cause the number 375 to appear luminous on the annunciator P. In such case, the circuit is from ground to battery 'H and wire 'l2 to contact plate 63, thence through contact 67 and wire 'I3 to and'through relay 59 at 3" position on A panel to ground. Also from plate 63 through contacts 66 and 65 and wires 74 and l5 to and through relays 59, 59, at positions 7 on B panel and 5 on C panel, respectively, to ground, thereby illuminating the proper lamps 34 on panel board 21 for displaying the numerals three, lseven and ive, representing the distance of 375 miles between Los Angeles and Boulder Dam.

ISimultaneously with the foregoing .operation the circuit of lamp 33 on the map M Vat the position of Boulder Dam is closed by plate `63 and contact 64, wire l'6 and through the lamp to ground. Each of the plates 35 to 44 connects by means of a wire Tl and a battery 78 to ground, so that when lthe plate 63 and one of the plates 35 to 44 inclusive are actuated by their associated relays the circuit of the location lamp 33 and those of the necessary and prearranged lamps 34 are completed.

The right hand portion of Fig. 6 shows the circuit diagram for a second or optional annunciation to indicate the distance from Los Angeles to Merced which, as shown on the map is 277 miles. In such case the operation is as before described with the proper choice of button 32 having been made to correspond to the place between which and the point of origin the distance is to be ascertained. In such case the contact 66 associated vwith the corresponding contact plate 63 is moved with said plate upon the energization of the associated relay 6I for connecting wire 14 of B panel with said contact by means of a bridge wire 19, contact 66 is connected with relay 59 at position 2 of A panel by means of wire 80 and Contact 65 is connected with relay 59 at position 7" on C panel by means of wire 8l. As before, lamp 33 on map M at the location of Merced is energized from contact 64, carried by plate 63, and the numerals two, seven and seven appear illuminated on the annunciator.

For each place represented on map M by a lamp, a button 32 must be provided on the switch panel and additional and supplemental circuits therefor may be connected as shown in Fig. 6, and as representatively indicated at Sal, 3a2 and 3a3, 1172, 5cl, and 502, 2al and 2a2, 'lcl and 'lc2 all connected as is wire T9 which latter is also designated as Tbl.

In the consideration of the circuit arrangement it should be understood that reference characters such as 7 relate to the numerals in each of the panels A, B and C in each digital position; the numerals l to 22 inclusive relate to the circuit numbers for the several circuits of the annunciator lamps 34; the characters 3A, 7B etc. relate to the numerals and panels; and the characters Sal, 5c2 etc. relate to the connections for supplemental points not shown 0n the drawings.

It will be noted with reference to Fig. 3 that the numbers in quotation indicate the numerals to be formed by the lamps 33. The series of numbers opposite each number in quotation refers to numbers in Fig. 2 and indicate the lamp selected to form said numerals. For example, lamps l, 5, 6, 8, l0 yand I5 are lit to form the numeral 4.

What I claim, is:

1. A distance annunciator comprising: a map showing a plurality of geographically spaced points thereon, normally inoperative illuminable indicators at said points, a plurality of digital panels each bearing a plurality of illuminable elements electrically connected with said point indicators for selectively displaying numerals on said panels, and manually controlled means for simultaneously energizing said point indicators and said digital elements for forming numerals to correspond to the distance between selected points on said map.

2. A distance annunciator comprising: a map, a plurality of electrically operable indicators positioned on' said map at geographically spaced points, a plurality of electrically operable digital elements adjacent said map and electrically connected with said point indicators, and manually controlled means for simultaneously energizing certain of said indicators at points between which the distance is to be ascertained and said digital elements for displaying numerals to indicate the distance between said points.

3. A distance annunciator comprising: a map, a plurality of electrically operable indicators positioned on said map at geographically spaced points, a plurality of electrically operable digital elements adjacent said map and electrically connected with said point indicators, and manually controlled means for simultaneously energizing certain of said indicators at points between which the distance is to be ascertained and said digital elements for displaying numerals to indicate the distance between said points, said manually controlled means including a plurality of operating elements corresponding in number to said point indicators.

4. A distance annunciator comprising: a map extended so as to show a plurality of geographically spaced points thereon, indicators at said points, and manually controlled means operatively associated with said indicators for selectively displaying the distance between selected points, said manually controlled means including an operating member for each point on said map, said digital elements being of such a number and so arranged at each digital position that when the circuit of a selected point indicator is closed the numerals at the several digital positions corresponding to the correct numerals in the number representing the distance between a point on said map and a second selected point will be displayed.

5. A distance annunciator comprising: a surface having spaced indicators thereon, a plurality of digitally arranged numeral indicators operatively connected with said point indicators, and a plurality of operating elements corresponding in number to and operatively connected with said point indicators for simultaneously actuating one or more of said point indicators and said numeral indicators so as to display numerals representing the distance between selected points on said surface.

6. A distance annunciator comprising: a surface having spaced indicators thereon, a plurality of digitally arranged numeral indicators operatively connected with said point indicators, and a plurality of operating elements corresponding in number to and operatively connected with said point indicators for simultaneously actuatf ing one or more of said point indicators and said numeral indicators so as to display numerals representing the distance between selected points on said surface, said indicators being interconnected so that the numeral displayed at each digital position will correspond to that in the number representing the distance.

DON STUART DOIG. 

